UN body calls for release of Gaza doctor detained by Israel since 2024

Separately, another UN human rights body described Israel's detention of Abu Safiya as arbitrary on Monday and similarly called for his immediate release.

A United Nations inquiry raised alarm Wednesday over reports of mistreatment against a prominent Palestinian doctor seized by Israeli forces in Gaza back in December 2024, calling for his immediate release from Israeli custody.

The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which includes East Jerusalem within its mandate, demanded the immediate release of Hussam Abu Safiya, who serves as director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in the Gaza Strip. Rights organizations and Abu Safiya’s lawyer say his life faces imminent danger while he continues to be held without formal charges, according to Physicians for Human Rights Israel, an Israeli based rights group monitoring his case.

The commission stated that actions taken by Israeli Prison Service guards against Palestinian detainees raise serious concerns about violations of international law that likely rise to the level of international crimes. The inquiry said Abu Safiya’s current medical condition stems directly from this treatment.

An Israel Prison Service spokesperson responded Wednesday by calling the allegations false, outrageous and entirely without factual basis. The spokesperson did not specifically name Abu Safiya in the statement, though the prison service has previously denied similar allegations concerning mistreatment of him and other detained doctors.

Abu Safiya’s lawyer said Monday that his client’s health remains in serious danger and that he has faced daily abuse while in custody. During a Supreme Court hearing held in Jerusalem in June, which Abu Safiya attended through a video link, he appeared noticeably thinner in his face and abdomen compared with earlier appearances.

The commission said the treatment reportedly directed at Abu Safiya reflects a broader pattern of violations it has documented in previous findings. In September 2025, the same inquiry concluded that Israeli authorities had committed genocide by targeting Gaza’s healthcare system and medical professionals since October 2023, an accusation Israel dismissed as scandalous at the time.

Israel has accused the commission of pursuing a political agenda against the country and of straying beyond its official mandate, and Israeli authorities have declined to cooperate with the inquiry’s investigations.

Separately, another UN human rights body described Israel’s detention of Abu Safiya as arbitrary on Monday and similarly called for his immediate release. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found in its assessment that Israel’s actions violated multiple provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, along with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Abu Safiya’s case has drawn sustained international attention since his detention began, with human rights advocates repeatedly raising concerns about his treatment and the broader pattern of medical professionals facing detention amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. His role as director of Kamal Adwan Hospital placed him at the center of healthcare operations in northern Gaza during a period when medical facilities across the territory faced severe strain from the conflict.

The overlapping findings from two separate UN bodies, the commission of inquiry and the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, add further international pressure on Israel regarding Abu Safiya’s continued detention. Both bodies have pointed to violations of established international legal frameworks governing detention practices and the treatment of detainees.

Human rights organizations tracking the case continue to express concern about Abu Safiya’s deteriorating physical condition, particularly following his visibly weakened appearance during his most recent court hearing. Advocates argue that his continued detention without formal charges, combined with reports of daily mistreatment, represents a clear violation of due process and basic human rights protections under international law.

Israel’s rejection of the allegations and its refusal to cooperate with the commission’s broader investigation reflect the ongoing tension between Israeli authorities and UN human rights mechanisms examining conduct during the conflict in Gaza. The dispute over the commission’s findings adds to a growing list of disagreements between Israel and international bodies regarding the legal and ethical dimensions of military and detention operations conducted throughout the war.

As pressure mounts from multiple international human rights mechanisms, attention remains focused on whether Israeli authorities will respond to these calls for Abu Safiya’s release, particularly given the specific concerns raised about his declining health and the broader allegations of mistreatment documented by UN investigators.